• Says festive period electricity production decline due to temporary factory non-operation 

The Energy Ministry rejected allegations the Government has decided to release water from the Victoria Reservoir in an unusual manner for electricity generation, stating that national electricity production declines during the festive season due to the temporary shutdown of factories across the country.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (16), Deputy Energy Minister Arkam Ilyas said that releasing water from a reservoir cannot be done arbitrarily, adding that such matters are handled via the Water Management Secretariat. “It is the Water Management Secretariat that decides whether water can be released for any such purpose. It consists of the Ceylon Electricity Board, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Wildlife Conservation Department, and the Irrigation Department, etc. Such an arrangement of a meeting has not happened,” he said. He further added that since the demand for electricity in the country has gone down during the festive season, a need for extra power generation has not arisen either.

However, the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) alleged on Wednesday (15) that the Government has decided to release water from the Victoria Reservoir in an unusual manner. According to the Party’s President, Duminda Nagamuwa, the decline in electricity generation at the Norochcholai Power Plant due to poor-quality coal has forced increased reliance on costly diesel-powered generation. 

He alleged that in order to avoid public backlash over higher electricity costs, the Government has opted for alternative measures, including the increased use of reservoir water. Nagamuwa claimed that the water level of the Victoria Reservoir, which must be maintained at around 422 metres above the sea level for drinking water requirements, is now being reduced due to what he described as “arbitrary decisions.” As a result, he said that the Balagolla Barrage pumping station, which supplies drinking water to areas including Kandy, Kundasale, and Digana, is at risk of becoming non-operational.